A LOCAL music teacher is asking the public to donate their unwanted instruments to help school pupils develop their musical talents at home.
Chris Henderson, who teaches guitar, ukulele and bass guitar at primary and secondary schools throughout Moray is asking the public to help him teach, by donating their unwanted musical instruments and equipment to school pupils who are unable to practice at home.
The music teacher who has taught at Moray schools since 2011 as part of the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative said: “Increasingly, there are more and more students who take guitar, ukulele and bass lessons but don’t own an instrument.
“With lots of kids not having the right instruments and possibly not being able to afford them, I decided to try and set up a guitar loaning scheme for my pupils.
“I’m hoping that people will be willing to donate any musical instruments that they don’t use, so that I pass them on to students who need them to practice and don’t have an instrument at home.”
The music teacher is primarily looking for instruments and equipment he can give to his own pupils – including electric and acoustic guitars, ukuleles, bass guitars and related accessories like amplifiers, tuners and guitar cases – but is also happy to accept donations of other musical instruments, which he can give to other Moray instructors for their students.
Since posting his plan on Facebook last week, the teacher has spent much of his time collecting and fixing up donations but hopes that he can inspire others to donate their unwanted instruments.
Mr Henderson said: “I’m hoping people will get in touch if they have a musical instrument that isn’t being played. Sometimes people lose interest or forget about an instrument and then it just becomes an ornament.
“So if there is anyone that has an instrument that they don’t need or that they want to get rid of, I would be more than grateful for them to pass it on so that I can put some musical instruments into the hands of pupils.”
Anyone interested in donating an instrument can contact Chris Henderson on his Facebook page here or over phone at: 077935450492011